Soulmates
by FOxTASTIC318
Summary: Soulmate AU prompt: The last words you hear your soulmate say is written on your skin. ZoLu Warning: character death
1. Soulmate

This is short. I'm not use to writing, and my writing isn't very good. I hope you like it anyways. As stated in the summary there is character death. I love Zoro and I love Luffy and I love ZoLu. There's not enough ZoLu in the world. If you can please let me know what you think, I'd much appreciate it. Oh and all characters belong to Oda-sensei.

o-o-o-o-o

"'Long ago the gods cursed humans.' This was the belief of our ancestors," the teacher recited at the front of the class. Zoro huffed as he laid his head on his cross arms to sleep. 'What gods?' he thought before drifting off.

A hard hit on the head woke Zoro up suddenly. "Good morning," he said as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

"Shishishi…" Luffy laughed as Nami started to yell at the green haired teen she just hit. "Zoro always sleeps through class," grinned the black haired boy. Nami turned her first on him next.

Nami sighed and put a hand to her head. "You guys always cause trouble. Can't you just once behave?"

"That's impossible for those two idiots, my sweet Nami-swan," Sanji danced over to the young lady with hearts in his eyes. He held out a beautifully prepared box lunch to her. "There's no helping the big green moron. Only grass grows between his ears."

"What was that pervy cook?" Zoro let out with a growl. This was the last thing he needed today. He was ready for a fight with the lean chef.

Sanji may be young be, but he was already quite skilled in the kitchen. Elite colleges and restaurants request he attend. Zoro, on the other hand, barely had a passing grade at all. The teachers were constantly on his case. Nami offered to tutor him, and the one time he accepted so he could stay in the kendo club, she charged him an impossible fee. He was still trying to pay her back, but every time he did anything to piss her off, she added on interest. Zoro wasn't even sure what he owed at this point.

"Please don't fight," Vivi's kind, but firm, voice interrupted. Vivian was the student council president. Her job was to keep order, and grades, up. "Zoro-san, do you need to see the nurse? You seem unwell today." Her concerned eyes met his.

He scowled. "'m fine," Zoro mumbled and shoved to stand up.

He stalked away from the shouting Sanji and shrieking Nami. His head hurt too much for this. A nice nap on the roof sounded like a good idea. Maybe he'd just skip the rest of the day.

Before he even got to the door, Luffy slammed into his back, knocking him to the ground. The wild boy laughing all the way. "Where's Zoro going?"

"Damn it, Luffy. Stop doing that!" Zoro pinched Luffy's cheek and pulled.

"OW! Zoro! That hurt!" Luffy rubbed at the reddening skin. He soon forgot about the pain when Zoro walked off. He quickly bounced after the taller male. Something was wrong with his best friend. He just knew. They both had a strange bond. He noticed it only recently, but it had been there since they first met on the first day of high school. He got the feeling Zoro had known since the beginning.

At first, Zoro refused to be friends with the crazed Luffy, but Luffy is strong willed and persistent. Stubborn too. Day after day, Luffy pestered the green haired man until, without even realizing it, they had become friends. Along the way, Luffy gathered more friends, some reluctant, others willing to participate in his wild adventures. None of the others had the connection that Luffy and Zoro had. They all could see it.

"Oh! That's right. Zoro's birthday was the other day. We had so much good food! Did Sanji not make Zoro's favorite?"

Zoro gave the black haired teen a sideways glance before looking away. He just kept climbing the stairs they finally reached. Zoro didn't like to talk about feelings. He wasn't an open book like the others, and Luffy was not the person he wanted to talk about this with. The boy was going to find out eventually, but he wanted to keep it to himself as long as possible.

Zoro shoved the roof's door open and settled into his favorite spot. This spot allowed him to rest in the warm sun, but the shade of where the door was kept it just out of his eyes.

Luffy plopped down next to his head, kicking his feet out in front of him to tap his shoes together. He didn't the school uniform. It felt constricting, and he couldn't knot the tie properly.

"So did it appear?" Luffy was uncharacteristically serious when he asked this. As the unofficial leader if their strange group and Zoro's unannounced best friend, he had to make sure everyone was safe, okay, and happy. Their strange connection made him guess correctly what was bothering the kendo champion.

Zoro opened one eye to glance at Luffy. He wanted to lie. To tell the boy all the nonsense about the gods' curse being fake. But he couldn't. So he remained silent, closing his eye again. He'd just sleep through Luffy's strange serious attitude. He knew it was futile, but he would try anyways.

Making an irritated noise and started to poke the tanned man next to him, Luffy was going to get it out of Zoro. One way or another. "Where's it at? I wanna see." He started to untuck Zoro's uniform and pulled the shirt up exposing well toned, tan skin.

"The hell?!" Zoro jerked, sitting up and nearly knocking heads together. "Don't go stripping people without their consent!" He grabbed the boy's wrists to stop anymore of his garments coming undone.

"But Zoro likes it when I take off his clothes." The Cheshire cat grin made the scar on his face stretch.

Heat flared up Zoro's face and colored the tips of his ears. 'He's so troublesome.' "Not at school, dumbass." He settled back again, arms pillowing his head. This time he kept his eyes on the troublemaker who started to pout.

"Fine~" Luffy huffed, leaning back to prop himself up on his arms and resumed tapping his shoes. So Zoro didn't want him to see the words that were stained on his skin. He would see them eventually, but if that's what's bothering Zoro… "I wonder what mine will say when I turn eighteen."

"Probably something stupid."

"What?! No way. It'll be something cool!"

Zoro snorted a laugh, "Something cool, huh? I doubt it. Why don't you go see if that shitty cook has anything good to eat?"

Predictably, the enthusiastic teen jumped up and dashed to find Sanji. Zoro spent the rest of the school day napping on the roof.

o-o-o-o-o

"Zoro~! I'm bored!" The hyper Luffy had thrown himself sideways on the floor of Zoro's bedroom. It was the weekend, which meant no school, but it also meant someone had to entertain the young teen. Usually that duty fell to Zoro, much like today.

"What do you want me to do about it?" Zoro was busy doing his weight training. No school didn't mean skipping his routine.

"Let's go to that new amusement park!" Luffy's eyes glittered with excitement. "I hear it's pirate themed. They pick one person a day to be King of the Pirates. That's gonna be me!" The excitement turned into passionate determination faster than Zoro could blink.

The green haired teen continued to lift his weights for a few more silent minutes as Luffy giggled and imagined being said king to himself.

Zoro reluctantly put down the heavy weights with a dull thud and wiped the sweat off his face with a towel. "Fine, I guess, but let me shower and change first." A bad feeling settled into his stomach.

"Need any help? Shishishi…" Luffy placed a hand on the straw hat that sat on his head, eyes shadowed.

Zoro knew that look and immediately glowed red. "No way. If you help, we'll never make it."

Luffy whined out a 'fine' and pouted at the tall man.

o-o-o-o-o

Standing outside the loud and colorful place of entertainment, both boys stared. Zoro filled with dread at the sight of the crowded and happy place in front of them. Luffy practically vibrated with joy.

Luffy grabbed Zoro's hand and dashed to the ticket counter demanding two tickets, one for the Pirate King. The girl at the count nervously tried to explain that each ticket bought was entered into a raffle. The drawing would take place in about an hour. This information went in one ear and out of the other for Luffy. He started singing off tune about being the king as they made their way through the gates.

They ate at every stall they passed. Luffy did anyway. Zoro only tried a few before declaring he was full. Zoro only got lost three times; though he claimed the park switched things around when he wasn't looking. Luffy managed to win the drawing, making him the Pirate King for the day, which gave a few perks. Free food passes for the gluttonous boy and immediate cuts to the front of any ride. Zoro thought it was a good day, despite the dead he felt before entering. The sun had dipped below the horizon now though and night had made it's rapid appearance.

"Oi Luffy, we should go. It's getting late."

"One more ride!"

The green haired teen glance at his friend. That dread from earlier pitted in his stomach once again, but this time it was different. His gut said it's time to leave, but he gave into the puppy eyes that Luffy gave him. "Fine one more then we go." One more would be fine then they could leave. This place was making his danger senses go off.

Luffy chose a daring roller coaster with giant hills and tight loops. The ride was fast and over quickly. The dread returned, doubled, once it was over. Zoro was starting to think it might be from one too many rides and too much greasy food. A good night's rest would make it go away and in the morning everything would be fine.

o-o-o-o-o

Everything was not fine though. As soon as they stepped out of the park, Zoro knew.

"That was so fun, Zoro! We have to come back again! You'll bring me again, right?"

"Uh, yeah." Sweat started to collect on Zoro's skin. He knew what was coming next as he fiddled with the collar of his shirt.

"You promise?" Luffy asked, grinning wide as he stepped into the street.

Suddenly there was a loud horn and screeching tires. A sickening thump of a body being hit. Luffy sat frozen on the spot where he landed. Blood splashed across his front. Eyes wide and unblinking at the sight in front of him. Zoro's body was a few feet away. He tried to call to his friend, but the words were stuck on the lump in his throat. His heartbeat pounding in his ears was the only thing he could hear. He finally snapped out of it when a stranger tried to approach Zoro's unmoving body. Luffy lunged forward knocking the unknown man aside. He finally heard the sirens approaching and people shouting around him. His mind still reeling, trying to figure out what happened. He clutched at Zoro's body. He begged him to just open his eyes, to call him an idiot. He told him he can't die. He had to become the world's best at kendo. He growled and snapped at the paramedics who try to pull him away. An officer wrestled with him. In a last ditch effort to remain at his friend's side, he grabbed a handful of Zoro's shirt. The garment pulled taunt. Luffy caught a glimpse of black scrawled letters on his friend's collar, right on his scarred shoulder. 'You promise?' written clearly and neatly.


	2. Soulmates- Part 2

So this turned into a two-shot. I wasn't planning it, but I don't want to leave poor Luffy suffering. More character death, but then reincarnation! I'm not so cruel!

I didn't mention this before, but all characters and manga bits belong to Oda, obviously. Otherwise ZoLu would totally be canon.

O-O-O-O-O

"Luffy! Breakfast!" the familiar voice of his brother, Ace called.

Luffy shot up like a rocket. Food always got him excited. He ran to the dining table utensils in hand, ready to dig in. Upon the table was a feast. Ham, bacon, steak. All of Luffy's favorites; meat was everywhere.

Drool escaped the corner of his mouth. Luffy didn't wait for an invitation, he dug in with the ferocity of a gluttonous beast.

"Gah! Luffy! Wait for us, will you? It might be your birthday, but you should still share with your brother," Ace scolded his baby brother by smacking him on the head. He quickly sat down to scarf down the food just as quickly though.

Luffy pause his food shoveling. "Bwruhday?" He gulped down the large piece of ham he had been chewing. Today was his eighteenth birthday. The words he already knew, something stupid just like his soulmate said it would be, were on his body somewhere. For the first time, Luffy didn't feel like eating. He almost felt sick.

The black haired teen dropped his eating utensils and stumbled to his feet. Nearly tripping, he made his way to the bathroom. His older brother called to him, but Luffy completely ignored him. Ace was worried.

O-O-O-O-O

Stripped bare in front of the mirror, Luffy inspected his body, looking for the black ink he knew would be there. His soulmate had said something so lame before he die.

Zoro had said his soul mark would be something stupid, and there it was. Simple black lettering appeared on his slim hip, right above the pointed bone.

Luffy fingered the silly words. The phrase 'uh, yeah' seemed like a hot brand on his skin. It didn't hurt, the sight of the words anyway, but his chest ached with a dull pain that sharpened with each thump of his heart. To have your soulmate ripped from you so soon in front of you; Luffy doesn't think much more could be painful.

All his friends had worried over him the past two years. He mourned his loss, but never lost his smile. Zoro may be gone from this world, but he would always be in his memories and his heart. There were days that were harder sure. Luffy knew he still had to be there for all his friends and his brother. So he would continue to live for for them.

A soft knock startled Luffy, making him give a small jump. He opened the door with a 'shishishi'.

Ace stood on the other side looking worried before noticing Luffy state of dress. He deadpanned, "I know it's your birthday and all, but do you really need to be in your birthday suit?" He was amused and glad to see his little crybaby brother seemed to be acting normal.

The loss of Zoro had hit Luffy hard. Ace remembered Luffy being lethargic for days. He had barely ate, and his sleep was full of nightmares. There were still nights he heard his brother stifle mournful wails through their shared bedroom walls. He stopped going to comfort the boy at night when Luffy started plastering a false smile that broke his heart, but he knew Luffy was strong. Ace knew Luffy was becoming strong each day.

Ace didn't miss the edge of the letters though. Even if they were covered by the boy's hand. He never asked what Zoro's last words were, nor would he ask to see the mark Luffy was clearly trying to hide.

"You better get dress and ready for school. No skipping." Ace left to get ready for his own day. Luffy would be okay. He was strong. Something Ace knew, no matter how much the boy cried when they were younger.

O-O-O-O-O

Luffy's day was different for any other birthday he's had. All his friends were kind, but cautious. They all gave him gifts of food, the best gift there was 8n his opinion. He liked the yummy gifts, but he hated how his friends were tiptoeing around him.

After school they all met at the arcade, Thousand Sunny. It was run by a couple Luffy had befriended shortly after the death of his soulmate.

Robin maintained the snack bar. She was kind and soft spoken with a dark, morbid sense of humor. Since it was his birthday, she allowed him to steal a few treats. Normally she would catch him and make him pay or do chores. It was like she had eyes and ears all over the place.

Franky, Robin's husband, built and customized the games. He was abnormally large and had a tendency to go around wearing a speedo and a brightly patterned shirt. He acted tough, but he had a big heart. He bawled his eyes out when he heard what happened to the young soulmates. He gave the boy extra coins to play games.

Sanji brought a large cake with many candles as they all gathered around a simple table in the snack area. "Happy Birthday" was softly sung to the dark haired teen. His grin was brighter than the candles. Once the song ended, Luffy blew out the flames and made his wish.

Slices of the delicious cake were dished out and devoured with gusto by the younger members of the small group. Halfway through his slice, Luffy stopped. A similar reaction to his breakfast. They all noticed and shared concerned glances with each other.

"Something wrong with the cake, shitty brat?" Sanji broke the ice first.

Luffy laughed, but it lack the usual happy edge. His smile not as bright, bordering on the fake one they've come to realize meant he was thinking of Zoro. "No, Sanji's cake is the best! I'm just full is all." Luffy was never full. "I think I should head home. Ace is probably worried." He pulled his hat down so the brim covered his eyes. He walked slowly out of the arcade while his friends watched on sadly.

O-O-O-O-O

Luffy wandered down the street. His mind felt foggy. His head felt like it was full of cotton. His feet seemed like they had a mind of their own. It happened suddenly, mid chew. He felt like he needed to be somewhere else. Luffy was always one to follow his instincts, so he went.

There was a long bang at that moment. Luffy pitched forward hitting the ground. A sharp, burning pain bloomed in his back and spread to his chest. This pain was different than the full ache that he felt when he thought of Zoro, but the thundering blood pounding in his ears brought back memories of that dreadful day.

Screams and yells for an ambulance went unheard by the boy. His fingers started to go numb, and Luffy let out a pained cough, blood bubbled out of his mouth as he did. He gave a weak laugh.

Who knew his wish would come true so soon? He never expected it to be so soon or painful. Luffy worried about his friends. He worried about his brother. Then he worried about what would happen next.

Luffy had made a simple wish. When he blew out the candles, he wished that in the next life he would be reunited with his soulmate. He wished that he would go on amazing adventures with Zoro, and all his friends. Maybe they could be pirates and sail the seas!

Luffy let out one last laugh before everything went black.

O-O-O-O-O

"Is that the bounty hunter you hired?" The large woman questioned. Alvida was a fearsome pirate. Koby shook nervously. "Well, he certainly isn't Roronoa Zoro…"

At the name, Luffy, the boy who at the Gum Gum Fruit felt a pull. "Zoro?"

"So I'll give you one chance to repent… Who is the fairest throughout all the seas?" Alvida gave a threatening tap of her spiked, iron mace. "ANSWER ME!!!"

Koby's small body broke out in a sweat. "Heh heh heh…" His anxiety flared. "Lady Alvida, you--"

"Hey, who's that tough-looking old biddy?" Luffy didn't sense the thick tension in the air. Everyone was in shock at his unintentional insult. All of them thought the boy had a death wish.

Alvida let out a fierce growl, "How dare…" Her men shouting in the background, frightened she would turn on them as well.

"Luffy!! Take it back!!" The pink haired boy grabbed rubbery shoulders. "Throughout all of the seas, Lady Alvida is…" He gulped thinking. "Lady Alvida is…" Koby saw a flashback of Luffy's determined claim of becoming the Pirate King, of dying to achieve such a crazy, impossible dream. He suddenly shouted, "Lady Alvida is…" He breathed deep, tears welded on his eyes, fear or frustration or maybe even that wonderful determination, he wasn't sure. It was all the courage he needed in that moment to take that first step. "...THE UGLIEST OLD HAG OF ALL!!!"

The large woman looked over the smaller boy. Koby could do nothing but gulp. Luffy decided to let out a loud, proud laugh.

"YOU LITTLE--!!" Alvida screamed as she lifted the heavy weapon to strike. Koby let out a yell of his own. His fear coming back, but his courage and newfound determination won't let him retreat.

Luffy shoved the frightened Koby back, "Good for you, Koby!!"

Koby shouted Luffy's name as Alvida started her swing. "It makes no difference to me…" the female pirate finally brought down her attack on Luffy's head, "you're both going to die!!"

The straw hat wearing boy's grin just grew into a happy smirk. "That didn't hurt! 'Cause I'm made of rubber!"

The fight ended shortly. Luffy easily defeated the rival pirate and shocked everyone around him with his strange body. His monstrous strength struck fear into he lacked. He demanded a Koby's freedom and a boat. Koby smartly added provisions to the demand.

O-O-O-O-O

The two boys set out to find a marine base for Koby to join. Luffy had other plans.

"That guy imprisoned at the navy base… What's his name?" Luffy was never good with remembering names until it was needed. There was a strange pull again. His instincts told him this person who was feared by many was someone who will be, was?, important to him. Crucial even. Though he hardly knew what that word meant.

"Roronoa Zoro!" Koby reminded him in an exasperated tone.

"If he's a good guy, I'll let him join my crew!" Luffy giggled. A tingle went up his spine at the sound of the name.

Koby argued that it would never happen. That Zoro was bad. Luffy refused to believe. His gut telling him that this man, this demon, Zoro, would be the first crew member, maybe even more.

*-*-*-*

Roronoa Zoro stood leaning uncomfortably against a pole. His arms and waist tied tightly to the wooden posts. He was dirty and bleeding. The marines liked to have violent fun at his expense. If not for his loyalty to the promise he made, those idiots would have never been able to lay a finger on him. But a promise was something he refused to break. One day, he was sure he would die because of some stupid promise he made, but not before he fulfilled the one swore to dedicate his life.

The wounded man feels before he hears or sees the boy climb the wall. This boy had a hidden strength. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he did. As soon as he laid eyes on the boy with the straw hat, he knew the kid was a magnet for trouble. He knew that magnet had latched onto him. He wouldn't be roped in so easily though.

Zoro threatened, teased even, the younger boy. He tried to frighten the boy named Luffy away. He refused the strange boy outright. His dream came first.

Zoro learned of the marines betrayal. He was given a choice: to follow the strange boy wearing a straw hat and claiming to become King of the Pirates or die. Die before his dream, his promise, was fulfilled? He wanted to laugh at the ridiculous idea. He agreed to join Luffy, and without even realizing it, he agreed to a new promise. He just didn't know it yet. He had made a promise. A promise to follow, protect, his new captain. His captain which he felt a strange pull. He would die to keep that promise.


End file.
